WA records no new local COVID-19 cases, raising hopes the state has avoided a widespread outbreak

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has received a coronavirus vaccination and confirmed the state has recorded no new local cases.

WA Premier Mark McGowan is seen during press conference at a mass vaccination centre at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth. 3 May, 2021.

WA Premier Mark McGowan is seen during press conference at a mass vaccination centre at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth. 3 May, 2021. Source: AAP

Western Australia has again recorded no new local coronavirus cases, raising hopes the state has avoided a widespread outbreak.

Authorities are continuing to track down people who had contact with a hotel quarantine security guard and two of his housemates.

The trio , prompting the government to reinstate mandatory mask-wearing both indoors and outdoors, close nightclubs and prevent fans from attending Sunday's AFL western derby at Optus Stadium.
Premier Mark McGowan on Monday said WA Health had so far identified 58 close contacts and 26 had tested negative.

Seventeen of the close contacts went to cooking classes on 27 and 28 April at the Perth College of Business and Technology which was also attended by one of the housemates.

All close contacts are required to quarantine for 14 days.

The two infected housemates each worked as delivery drivers and it emerged on Monday they had delivered food to more than 100 people.

Those people are considered casual contacts and are being contacted and advised to get tested.

But health advice suggested the risk of transmission was very low given the drivers were required to wear face masks and had minimal contact with customers.

Mr McGowan and Health Minister Roger Cook on Monday each received their first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
WA Premier Mark McGowan is seen receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccination in Perth, Monday, 3 May, 2021.
WA Premier Mark McGowan is seen receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccination in Perth, Monday, 3 May, 2021. Source: AAP
They are part of the over-50s cohort who are now eligible to receive their jabs at one of several mass vaccination clinics across Perth.

Over-50s can get vaccinated by their GPs from 17 May.

"I didn't feel a thing. It wasn't a difficult experience," Mr McGowan told reporters.

"I would encourage everyone to go and get vaccinated when your time comes."
The guard in his 20s worked at the Pan Pacific Hotel between 24 and 26 April and tested positive on Saturday.

He and his seven housemates have been moved to hotel quarantine.

On his days off work from 27 to 30 April, he moved through the community going shopping, seeing friends and visiting Mirrabooka Mosque.

Restrictions had been in place in Perth and Peel following a snap three-day lockdown.

"Had what happened in the last couple of days occurred three weeks ago, we would have gone into lockdown immediately," Mr McGowan said.
Authorities believe the guard likely contracted the virus from a returned traveller from the United States who was in quarantine at the Pan Pacific.

Genomic testing has indicated the pair have the same US variant of the virus.

Mr McGowan said he had been advised the outbreak was not related to ventilation issues which had been detected in several other quarantine hotels.


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3 min read
Published 3 May 2021 2:12pm
Updated 3 May 2021 3:03pm
Source: AAP, SBS



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